Popi

Popi enjoying wild fruits after venturing high into the canopy

Since joining our adoption family in 2018 as a tiny, vulnerable infant, Popi has been on a remarkable journey. And now, thanks to your compassion and support, she has finally returned to her true jungle home.

A Look Back at Popi’s Journey

Popi’s story began in heartbreak. In September 2016, our BORA rescue team confiscated her from a family in Sempayau village, near a palm oil plantation. It's likely her mother was tragically killed, and Popi was then sold illegally as a pet. She was just eight weeks old—completely toothless and desperately crying for the mother she had lost.

At that age, orangutan infants rely entirely on their mothers for nourishment, comfort, and safety. To give Popi the care she needed, a full-time babysitter stayed by her side 24/7, just as her mother would have in the wild. If her babysitter wasn’t in sight, Popi would cry out in distress. Two dedicated vets also helped care for her, feeding her milk around the clock and tending to her every need.

Little Popi eating and enjoying her milk bottle

From the beginning, Popi stole everyone’s heart. In this touching video she peacefully naps in her babysitter’s arms—mimicking how baby orangutans sleep clutched tightly to their mothers high up in the canopy.

Popi also formed a special bond with Happi, another orphaned baby orangutan. They became inseparable in Baby Jungle School, playing, exploring, and often falling asleep in each other’s arms. These bonds are vital for emotional healing and social development in young orphans.

Popi and Happi having a cuddle and Popi exploring at Jungle School

In her early days at Jungle School, Popi was hesitant to explore. She often preferred to stay close to her carers or  play on the ground. When she did climb, she’d sometimes choose branches too small to support her, tumbling down with a startled expression. But with time, her confidence bloomed. She began venturing further, learning to forage for forest foods like fruits, bark, flowers, spiky rotan stems, cambium, and termites.

Popi carefully eating spikey rotan and having a cuddle with vet Tere

Her sweet nature and hilarious expressions brought constant joy to everyone around her—especially our forest photographers, who had to work hard to keep up with her dramatic poses!

Popi with one of her delightful expressions and being dramatic on a log

Popi also adored water and would jump at any chance to play in creeks at Jungle School, splashing happily and entertaining anyone nearby.

Popi would always love venturing into shallow streams at Jungle School

In May 2025, after years of learning and growth, Popi and her close friend Devi were moved to a forested pre-release island—a major milestone. There, she fine-tuned her survival skills: foraging independently, building nests, climbing higher, and gaining strength and confidence for life in the wild.

Popi being released onto the island and feasting on delicious fruits

Popi finds her freedom

Then came the moment we’ve all been waiting for. On 10 August 2025, Popi began her journey to freedom.

After traveling long hours by car and boat—calm and curious in her transport crate—Popi arrived at her new home in the pristine Busang forest. Her favourite carer and vet were with her every step of the way, alongside a devoted team handling the complex logistics of her release.

Popi being transported to her new forest home

When the crate was opened deep in the rainforest, Popi stepped out and climbed straight into the canopy, surrounded by ancient trees and the sounds of her true home. Many tears were shed as those who had cared for her since babyhood watched her return to where she belongs.

To make her homecoming even more special, Popi’s old friends Mary and Bonti—who were released in January—found her the very next day! They were thrilled to reunite. Bonti even chased the monitoring team away in excitement, as if to say, “She’s with us now!” What a gift it is to witness Popi living wild and free, surrounded by friends and thriving in the rainforest she was always meant to call home.

Popi exploring her new forest home

Thank You for Making This Possible

None of this would be possible without you! Popi’s journey from rescue to freedom is a testament to your compassion and generosity. Because of you, she now has the life she was meant to live—a free and natural life in the forest.